Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Lech Lecha

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began his vort by discussing Lot's separation from Avraham as mentioned in Bereishis 13:1-12. The Torah states in Bereishis 13:11 וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם. Rashi explains that Lot did not travel in a direction, he wanted to separate from Hashem who was there from the beginning - מִקֶּ֑דֶם. Lot said that he did not want anything to do with Avraham and Hashem.

R' Frand asked - why did the Medrash interpret this pasuk is such a non-literal term? R' Frand quoted R' Matisyahu Solomon who in turn cited R' Shneur Kotler to explain the Medrash's view of the pasuk. He began by quoting a pasuk in Ekev (Devarim 11:10) which states כִּ֣י הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה בָא־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ לֹ֣א כְאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ הִ֔וא אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצָאתֶ֖ם מִשָּׁ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּזְרַע֙ אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֔ וְהִשְׁקִ֥יתָ בְרַגְלְךָ֖ כְּגַ֥ן הַיָּרָֽק. Moshe tells the Jews that the Land of Israel is not like Egypt which you left as in Egypt you don't need to worry about irrigation. In Egypt, the Nile overflows and waters the fields. Instead, וְהָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ אֶ֥רֶץ הָרִ֖ים וּבְקָעֹ֑ת לִמְטַ֥ר הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם תִּשְׁתֶּה־מָּֽיִם - the land depends on rain to irrigate the fields.

R' Kotler asks - how is this praiseworthy for the Land of Israel? If you are trying to sell the land, why say that watering was easy in Egypt and that now you need to depend on rain? He answers that the pitch was that the Jews will need to rely on Hashem for rain and will daven to Him and develop a relationship. In Egypt there was no dependence on Hashem or relationship with Him. 

When Lot sees that the land of Sodom is כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה (Bereishis 13:10) he thinks that he will have it easy and he wont need to rely on Hashem for water - just like Egypt. He does not want a relationship with Hashem and this is his way out. After all, Lot was very much into his money and he wanted an easy luscious life.

R' Frand made reference to the pasuk in Bereishis 14:12 when Lot was captured. The Pasuk states - וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־ל֧וֹט וְאֶת־רְכֻשׁ֛וֹ בֶּן־אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְה֥וּא יֹשֵׁ֖ב בִּסְדֹֽם. The structure of the Pasuk is odd, since it states Lot, his possessions and only afterwards his relation to Avraham. You would think that it would say that they took Lot the nephew of Avraham and his possessions, but here they come between Lot & Avraham. R' Schwalb explains that this is because Lot's possessions were central to him and defined him.

R' Frand tied this to the prohibition on interest. He asked - why is it that if someone needs money, you cannot lend it to him on interest, but lower than the bank rate? If someone needs a mortgage now, the rate is above 7%. He would be thrilled to borrow from his friend at half the rate, so why can't they enter the transaction? R' Frand quoted the Klei Yakar who explains that a farmer relies on Hashem as there are many challenges to growing produce. Businessmen have similar challenges as they may order stock based on a belief that something will be a hot selling item, but by the time that it arrives, there may be no consumer interest.

Lending with interest, provided the loan is secured, takes Hashem out of the equation. A person does not need Hashem or depend on him if the money is coming in through interest. Thus Hashem banned interest so that he can feel a connection with Hashem.

R' Frand said a second vort related to Avraham's request to Hashem in Bereishis 15:2 - מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר. Avraham says he has no children - he has a trusted servant, but no one else. R' Frand noted that the Gemara in Yoma states that Eliezer was a Talmid Muvak of Avraham and he delivered Avraham's Torah to everyone. You could not want a better Talmid as he would perpetuate Avraham's Torah and ensure his legacy. But why should Avraham need anything else?

R' Frand answered by quoting the Rabbeinu Bchaye who cites to the pasuk in Bereishis 15:5 - וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ. Hashem was telling Avraham - the stars are multifaceted and no star is like another. Avraham wanted children, not clones. And Hashem told him - look at the stars - the are like the children you will have. Each one will be different with multiple strengths and diversity.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Noach

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Bereishis 6:13, the Torah states קֵ֤ץ כׇּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם. In Bereishis Rabbah, the Medrash states that חָמָֽס is theft of less than a Perutah. The people of this generation would see a person with a basket of lupines [R' Frand quipped that he would not know what a lupine was if it hit him in the face]. A person would take a lupine which was worth less than a perutah. The next person would take as well. And then eventually he would have none left...and he cannot pursue remedies because each lupine was worth less than a perutah and the court would not hear that case.

R' Frand asked - what is worse - stealing someone's car or taking something worth less than a perutah? You would say a car, so why is this a reason that the flood came? And why is the flood the Middah K'Neged Middah punishment?

R' Frand quoted a sefer which cited R' Moshe Amiel who states that there are three words for theft - Geneiva, Gezel and Chamas. Chazal teach that Geneiva is worse than Gezel, since he steals at night and is worried about man and not Hashem. The Gazlan doesn't care about man or Hashem. But why is Chamas worse than the other two? The Ganav thinks he can fake out man, the Gazlan doesn't care about man or Hashem. But the person who commits Chamas thinks he is not doing anything wrong and that is the worst case. We ask for forgiveness on Yom Kippur because we know we have done wrong, but this person thinks that he has not sinned.

He then explains why the flood was Middah K'Neged Middah. The person who takes one lupine has stolen less than a Perutah and Beis Din does not care about it. But it adds up until the person has nothing left. Rain is the same way, a drop of rain is nothing, but a drop followed by another drop by another drop adds up and becomes a flood.

R' Frand then quoted R' Mirski, who notes that on a Biblical level, money can effect a transaction, but D'Rabbanan it does not. Why? Because they were concerned that if money would effect the transaction and the buyer did not take physical possession, if a fire would threaten the item, the seller would not have an incentive to save the object because it was already the buyer's property. R' Frand then connected this to the concept of Mi Sheparah. If someone backs out of a transaction, the Gemara states that he can receive a Mi Sheparah - which is a legitimate curse in Chazal. The language of the Mi Sheparah in the Yerushalmi (unlike the Bavli) is that Hashem will punish you like he did to the generation of the flood. Why is the language - because although Beis Din can't punish you for backing out, Hashem can - much like he did to the generation of the flood.

R' Frand said a second vort related to Noach being 500 years old when he had his children. Rashi notes that prior generations had their children at 100 but Noach at 500. Why? Because if they were born when Noach was older and they turned out to be evil, they would need to die in the flood. And if they were good, Noach would need to build many additional arks for his children's families. Rashi further explains that at the time of the flood, punishment from Heaven was not meted out prior to a person turning 100 years old, so since Noach's sons were less than that at the time of the flood there was no concern.

R' Frand quoted R' Chaim Shmuelevitz who asks - what was the problem that the children might be good and Noach would need to build additional arks? He did not need to build them at all, he could have just hired someone else! Why was this a concern? 

R' Chaim answered that the ark was not physically able to withstand the flood and the torrent of boiling water. It was only able to do so because Noach was Moser Nefesh in order to build it - to deal with all the scoffers who ridiculed him for years and that imbued the ark with the ability to withstand the flood. If someone else had built an additional ark, it would not have survived the flood. 

R' Frand gave multiple examples of this concept - Shmuel had a garment that grew with him. How did this happen? Because Chana had such incredible Tefillos that it imbued the garment. He also noted that the Beis Hamikdash was built on the site where Avraham built the Akeidah...because Avraham was Moser Nefesh.

R' Frand noted the same in more recent generations. He discussed how Lakewood Yeshiva (BMG) was started with only a few students from Kletzk and now has 10,000 students. Similarly Ner Israel was started with only four students and it became what it is today. Why because they were built with Mesiras Nefesh and an ark could not have survived the flood if it was built by Bob's Boat Builders. 

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Bereishis

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began by noting that the eating from the Etz HaDa'as was a seminal moment in human history and the world changed as a result. R' Frand briefly summarized the punishment of the snake (Bereishis 3:14-15) the punishment for Chava (3:16) and the punishment for Adam (3:17-19). R' Frand noted that at the end of the punishment, Adam is told that he will die, stating כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב. 

Immediately thereafter, Adam gives his wife a new name as the Torah states in Bereishis 3:20 וַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כׇּל־חָֽי. But why does Adam choose this moment to give his wife a new name?

R' Frand quoted R' Jonathan Sacks who theorized that when Adam was told that he was going to die, it hit him like a ton of bricks. Prior to this point, he thought that his legacy would be himself, since he was going to live forever. But now, he is no longer immortal and he starts wondering about his legacy and what he will leave behind. Adam realized that what he would leave behind is his children as they carry your DNA, your morals and your values. But to have children, I need a wife and I just heard Hashem say that you (Chava) will enable me to have children. In so doing, you - Chava will help me achieve immortality. Previously she was just a help mate, but now she is a fundamental partner as through her, I will have immortality. This is why she called חַוָּ֑ה-- כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כׇּל־חָֽי - she will be the mother of all the children.

R' Frand gave a second reason for the change of name at this point. It might have been logical to call her death, since she brought death into the world. I could call her death and this is how she will be remembered. But I can call her Chava and view the positive. People are not totally bad or totally good and here Adam is teaching the fundamental lesson - don't look at her as death as because of her there will be life for every person.

R' Frand closed this vort with a story about R Lazer Silver who served as a chaplain in the US Army after WWII. He was successful in organizing a room in a DP camp where people could make a minyan. One day they were short one man for the minyan and R' Silver sent someone out to ask a man who was outside to join them. The messenger returned and said that the man had refused and said that he does not want to see a siddur, or a shul or another frum Jew. R' Silver then went out and asked personally and received the same response. He asked - why do you feel that way? The man responded  that when he was in the camps, there was a frum Jew who had a siddur which he used to daven before the men went out to work every day. But the man did not only use the siddur, he "rented" it out to others in exchange for half their daily ration of bread. The man was disgusted by this and did not want to see another siddur, or shul or frum Jew.

When the man had finished explaining himself, R' Silver said to him - but why don't you look at all the Jews who were willing to give up half their meager rations just so that they could daven with a siddur. The man accepted this and joined them.

[When R' Frand told this story previously, he told a related story. Thirty years later, a man spoke at a conference of major Jewish leaders and told that story. He said that he was the man who had refused to join the minyan before speaking to R' Laizer Silver. His name is Simon Wiesenthal].

R' Frand said a second vort related to Kayin and Hevel. The Torah states in Bereishis 4:8 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קׇם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃. The Torah does not tell us what Kayin says to Hevel before he killed him, but there are Medrashim which say that they argued over where the Bais HaMikdash would be built, or they argued over marriage or the division of property.

But why does the Torah not give the reason for the argument explicitly? R' Frand quoted R' Bukspan from Florida who explains that it does not matter what the fight was about. A person can get into a fight and not speak with a sibling for 40 years and no one remembers what the source of the argument was about. What is important is that there was a fight, not what they were fighting over.

R' Frand then observed that Kayin's punishment was נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ (Bereishis 4:12). But how does this fit the crime? How is it Middah K'Neged Middah? R' Frand that people get into arguments because they stand their ground and will not give in to the other person. I am right and you are wrong, its my way or the highway and the person stands on principle. If a person does not know how to bend or move, the punishment is that you will learn how to move.

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Rabbi Frand's Teshuva Derasha 5787/2026 - Part I

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand in his annual Teshuva Derasha which was broadcast live from Baltimore on the TCN network this evening. I have attempted to summarize the first part of the derasha in this post and iyh will do an additional post over the weekend. This was a very powerful derasha and my attempt to summarize should not be viewed as an exact transcript as it is based on my notes. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began the derasha by noting that Yom Kippur is unlike any other day on the Jewish calendar as it is the sole fast day mentioned in the Torah. Our basic physical comforts are mandated by the Torah, including the shoes we wear and we will spend the day in shul. R' Frand quoted a pasuk in Tehillim 139:16 which has a different meaning when read and written. The pasuk states  יָמִ֥ים יֻצָּ֑רוּ (ולא) [וְל֖וֹ] אֶחָ֣ד בָּהֶֽם. R' Frand translated this as Hashem has created the days and one of them is unto Him - there is a day Hashem has singled out to be different and special to Him. R' Frand quoted R' Yehoshua in Medrash Tanchuma which states that this is Yom Kippur - it belongs to Him. But if read as the way that it is written - there is a day that is different from all other days. This is Yom Kippur, the day that the Kohain Gadol goes into the Kodesh Kodashim - a place that even Moshe Rabbeinu could not enter. R' Frand said l'havdil - its a clean room, a room of absolute purity.

R' Frand also quoted Chazal that the location is Lifnai V'Lifnim - the innermost of the innermost. The vast majority of people will not enter this location and even the vast majority of Kohanim will not enter. But R' Emanuel Bernstein suggests that every single person possesses an internal Kodesh Kodashim because each person has a pure untainted soul which has a will to solely serve Hashem. We reference this in the prayer said in the morning Elokai, Netzur.

R' Frand utilized a Mashal of a diamond which has fallen in mud. It is filthy, but one only needs to wash it off and then it will be beautiful. The mud is sin and the diamond is your Neshama. The process of Teshuva is washing off the Neshama. R' Frand said that on Yom Kippur we enter that Kodesh Kodashim and wash off the mud of sin. When we evaluate our acts at that moment, we realize that our sins don't define us.

R' Frand quoted the Pasuk in Tehillim 32:1  אַשְׁרֵ֥י נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע כְּס֣וּי חֲטָאָֽה - praiseworthy is one whose sin is forgiven. R' Frand said that the word  נְֽשׂוּי means above - a person who is above his sin. When we say the Al Cheit, we need to realize that we are better than this and we are not rolling in the mud. We are better than that.

R' Frand quoted R' Yosef Lev Bluch (sp?) from Telshe Yeshiva who explains that if one has erred, as long as he realizes that he is above those mistakes and is better than that, he can jettison his sins. Indeed the Rambam writes that the essence of Teshuva is to abandon his sins and put them aside from his mind and say - I will not do this again. If he does, the Yodeah Taalumos will know that he won't do this again. Some translate this as saying that Hashem will say - this person will not sin again in the future. But if that is standard, we will not be capable of reaching it as we certainly will sin in the future.  But Taalumos does not mean the future, its the secrets. Hashem knows your secrets - that you are sincere and do not want to sin again.

However, there is a prerequisite for Teshuva. The Torah states in Devarim 30:1 - וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ . Eventually when a person experiences these things, he will do Teshuva. But the Seforno says - examine your life and see what is true and what is false and where am I - are there contradictions in my life? Once you can distinguish truth from false, we can do Teshuva.

But this is only if we don't wear masks - as we need to honest in our review of our actions. Only after confronting and dismantling our contradictions can we do Teshuva as Hashem's signet ring is Emes - Truth and we must be honest.

I hope to complete the summary of the Derasha on Motzei Shabbos, IYH.

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Thursday's Thoughts on Rosh Hashanah

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand this evening. [As this Shabbos is Rosh Hashanah, R' Frand spoke about the upcoming Yom Tov rather than about the parsha]. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began by quoting the story of the Isha HaShunamis and Elisha and the offer made by Elisha and her response in Melachim II 4:13 - מֶ֚ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָ֔ךְ הֲיֵ֤שׁ לְדַבֶּר־לָךְ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ א֖וֹ אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֑א וַתֹּ֕אמֶר בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמִּ֖י אָנֹכִ֥י יֹשָֽׁבֶת . R' Frand quoted the Zohar which teaches that this conversation took place on Yom Kippur and that Elisha's offer to speak to the "king" was a reference to speaking to the "King of Kings." [R' Frand said as an aside - if R' Chaim Kanievsky ZTL had offered to daven for you, would you have turned him down?] Yet, she refused the offer and said that she wanted to sit among her nation.

R' Frand noted that R' Finkel from the Mirrer Yeshiva would not daven on the Mizrach side [R' Frand was not clear if it was all year or only during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur] because he too wanted to sit among his nation.

But the question is why would she turn down Elisha's offer? R' Frand answered that from her response we learn a Segulah for the Yamim Noraim. If a person wants a Segulah to succeed, he needs to be among his nation so that he has their Zechus. How does one accomplish this? By being someone who strengthens the Tzibur and/or who performs tasks that are essential for the Tzibur. R' Frand said that even being the person who cleans up after the Shalosh Seudos each Shabbos can be enough to earn this title.

R' Frand gave an alternate view that davening with the Tzibur can qualify as sitting among the nation. R' Frand linked this to a Gemara in Rosh Hashanah which cites a pasuk about those who sail on a boat. The Gemara says that if they pray before the decree has been made it can help, but not after the decree has been issued. The Gemara then asks - but aren't they a Tzibur? The Gemara answers that they are not a Tzibur. As explained by the Shem M'Shmuel - this is because each person is praying for themselves. They are not praying the boat will be saved, they are praying that they will be saved.

R' Frand said that we see from this Gemara that if you want to sit among the nation, your prayers should not be about yourself, it should be about wanting to be servants of Hashem. And after that you should pray for the welfare of the Jewish nation at large. R' Frand referenced Iran and its stated desire to wipe out Israel, but he also referenced Britain, France and Canada's decision to ban trade with the West Bank. He evoked a comparison with South Africa of the early 1990s which became a pariah nation that no one could book flights to.

R' Frand then tied this to the Shemoneh Esreh for Yamim Noraim where after saying Atah Kadosh, we do not immediately say the Beracha. Instead, three times we say the introductory statement "U'Vchain" and then pray for certain recognitions to occur. R' Frand quoted the Abudraham who links this to Esther's statement in Esther 4:14 - וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת. What is the connection between Esther and the Tefillos on the Yamim Noraim? R' Frand quoted the Sefer Bina L'Itim who explains that Esther tells Mordechai וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַ֠י וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן. Esther tells Mordechai - the Jews should fast for me, and I and my maidens will do so as well. The message of the U'Vchain is to think about the Tzibur.

R' Frand then said that if the thought crosses your mind - who am I to daven for the Tzibur, or to daven for Galus or Yerushalaim, the Mesilas Yesharim teaches that the answer is there. A person was created as an individual so that he can say - the world was created for me. And by praying for the Tzibur, it gives Hashem Nachas, even if this is not the time for a Yeshua. This is also the meaning of the Passuk that Tziyon needs Derisha - it needs people to search for it and seek it out. 

R' Frand said that he will try to keep this in mind when he davens during Rosh Hashanah. If we keep this in mind, Hashem will bless us with what we really want.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshios Netzavim-Vayelech

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parshios this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Devarim 29:9-10, the Torah describes the people who were standing before Moshe - stating רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם  וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ. On a simple level these are people on the social ladder from the heads of the tribes to the water carriers and wood cutters. However, Rashi does not provide the literal interpretation. Instead he explains that the wood cutters and water carriers refer to Akum who came to convert because they saw the Jews succeeding, but these people were rebuffed by Moshe as their conversion was not sincerely motivated. Rather than being turned away, they were allowed to join the camp, but were given these menial jobs. Rashi notes that this occurred with the Givonim in the time of Yehoshua as well.

R' Frand asked - why did Rashi need to give this interpretation, rather than simply explaining that these people were on different social scales? R' Frand quoted the Sefer - Arzei HaParsha who connected this with a story involving the Beis HaLevi. When the Beis HaLevi was travelling he encountered a former Talmid and asked him - what are you doing? The student responded - I am in the sugar business. The Beis HaLevi asked again - what are you doing? The student responded with a more detailed description of the sugar business. The Beis HaLevi asked a third time - what are you doing, and explained - I don't want to know about your business. What you do for a living is what Hashem provides for you as a means to support yourself. I want to know what you are doing - are you having Sedarim, where are your children going to Yeshiva, where do you Daven and where are you holding with your Yahadus. A Jew is not defined by his profession or business - that's how you make a living, not who you are. Rashi needed to make this explanation because the Torah would not refer to someone by his profession. Instead, it is an explanation of why the jobs are mentioned - because they are Akum who are defined by their jobs.

R' Frand said that the Arzei HaParsha actually quoted a story that he (R' Frand) had told years earlier in connection with a journalist for the Baltimore Sun. The journalist said that he did not want to go to cocktail parties, because people would invariably ask what do you do for a living. He devised a plan to end the conversation at that point by telling people - I am an IRS agent.

R' Frand then linked this to the story of Yonah and specifically Yonah 1:8 when the people on the boat asked him מַה־מְּלַאכְתְּךָ֙ וּמֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֔וֹא מָ֣ה אַרְצֶ֔ךָ וְאֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עַ֖ם אָֽתָּה - what is your job and where did you come from, what is your land and which nation are you from. Yonah responded by saying  עִבְרִ֣י אָנֹ֑כִי. He does not give his profession - I am a prophet. Instead he said - I am a Jew, that's what defines me.

R' Frand said that the Arzei HaParsha observes that being an Ivri comes from Avraham where the term is used once, when Og comes to tell him about Lot. Chazal explain that being an Ivri means that he is an iconoclast and he stands up against the world. Why does this come up now? Because Og is telling him about Lot so that Avraham would go to war and die and he could marry Sarah. Avraham is called an Ivri because he is out of his mind to go to war against the kings to try to rescue Lot. 

There is one other person called an Ivri - Yosef. Why does he have that title? Because he is a 17 year old boy who is out of his environment and he resists the wife of Potiphar when she tries to seduce him. Because he is an Ivri and he stands against the world.

The second vort that R' Frand told related to the word אַתֶּ֨ם which is the beginning of the first pasuk in the parhsa. The Ba'al Haturim states that there are three other Pesukim which begin with אַתֶּ֨ם: 

(1) Shemos 5:11 אַתֶּ֗ם לְכ֨וּ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ תֶּ֔בֶן מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר תִּמְצָ֑אוּ - Pharaoh tells the Jews they must go and find straw on their own to make bricks; (2) Shemos 19:4 where Hashem tells the Jews אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם - you have seen what I did to Egypt and a pasuk in Isaiah (I don' t have the cite) - you are My witnesses (Atem eidai n'eum Hashem).

But what is the connection between the pesukim? Rabbi Frand answered by making reference to a vort from the Reisha Rav (grandfather of noted constitutional lawyer - Nat Lewin) who wrote in his sefer Hadrash V'Haiyun that the Jews noticed a change - in the beginning in Egypt they saw public miracles. They saw that Pharaoh wanted to break them and that Hashem saved them. However, later in Jewish history the miracles appeared to be hidden or even non existent. The Reisha Rav said that this perception is incorrect - the miracle of today is even greater - the fact that there still is a Jewish people is a great open miracle - this is אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם and this is Atem Edai - you, the Jews bear witness that I am continuing to make miracles as you are still around.

Rabbi Frand then quoted R Chatzkhel Levenstein who said that the saving of the Mirrer Yeshiva students and their transport to Shanghai during the Holocaust was a greater miracle than the story of Esther. He also quoted R' Yaakov Emden (the Ya'avetz) who said that if we think about the fact that there are Jews today, despite the generations and generations where people rose up and tried to wipe out the Jews, we would understand that the continuation of the Jewish people is a greater miracle than leaving Egypt.

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